FEC Approves Mental Health Act Amendment, Decriminalising Suicide Attempts

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has given its nod to a significant amendment to Nigeria's mental health legislation, which will see attempted suicide decriminalised. This move signifies a shift in approach, transitioning from the prosecution of individuals experiencing psychological distress to providing them with essential treatment, care, and support.

During a briefing with State House correspondents following the FEC meeting held on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, announced that the proposed changes to the National Mental Health Act would be forwarded to the National Assembly as an executive Bill. He further elaborated that the current administration is committed to abolishing colonial-era legal provisions that currently categorise attempted suicide as a criminal offence.

The planned reform aims to reclassify attempted suicide primarily as a public health and mental health concern, necessitating professional intervention rather than punitive measures. Minister Pate highlighted alarming statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO), indicating that Nigeria records over 7,000 suicide deaths annually, alongside an estimated 300,000 suicide attempts each year across the nation.

Despite the widespread nature of this issue, attempted suicide remains criminalised under Section 327 of the Criminal Code Act and Section 231 of the Penal Code. This legal framework, according to Pate, inadvertently leads to individuals grappling with psychological distress being treated as criminals instead of patients in need of compassionate care. He stressed that these existing provisions deter people from seeking crucial help and are inconsistent with the National Mental Health Act, which advocates for treatment, protection, and supportive care for those at risk of self-harm.

"The idea is that attempting suicide is not a crime," Professor Pate stated, explaining that the reform would fundamentally alter the prevailing perspective to one that acknowledges individuals attempting self-harm require medical and psychosocial assistance. He drew a parallel, likening the current legal stance to penalising someone for suffering from an illness, asserting that mental health conditions deserve the same empathetic, treatment-focused response as any other health condition. “So it’s changing the paradigm to one whereby they require care and support,” he concluded.